1. Field
The present invention is generally concerned with cosmetic products for human use and more specifically concerned with simulated or artificial fingernails configured in a "French Manicure" arrangement.
2. Prior Art
Fashion trends suggest preferred looks which may become particularly desirable from time-to-time. A popularly attractive look for a feminine hand typically includes long and slender fingers. In addition, well groomed fingernails may add considerable beauty to a woman's hand. It has long been a practice to prepare fingernails with cosmetic materials to enhance certain properties including length, shape and color.
With reference to the drawing FIG. 1, a hand is drawn clearly showing fingernails in various positions. In particular, the thumb 1, shows a `top` view of a fingernail where a fingernail base 2 includes a lunula 3, and is adjacent to a fingernail tip 4. A side view of fingernails on other fingers further shows these fingernail parts in a different perspective. For example the forefinger 5 has a fingernail base 6 and a fingernail tip 7. A fingernail is attached to a finger at its underside in a region called a nailbed.
A natural human fingernail is generally comprised of material which is translucent and white in color. Where the fingernail is attached to the finger at the nailbed, the pink color of the finger flesh shows through the fingernail giving the fingernail a pink appearance in the nailbed region. The fingernail tip 4 appears white as there is no flesh attached therebehind. Sometimes, there is a small region (lunula) 3 of the nailbed near the cuticle which is crescent-shaped and white in color or a lighter shade of pink. Without application of colorants or other enhancement products, this is how a fingernail appears naturally.
Recently, a particular look called "French Manicure" has become quite popular. The French Manicure look is a prepared arrangement meant to appear very natural. It is most generally a scheme of two colors which cooperate together. A French Manicure has the base of a fingernail that is pink in color and the remaining portion, the tip of the fingernail, is white in color. This color scheme resembles the color pattern of a natural fingernail.
Presently, a popular way of providing a French Manicure color scheme as described is to paint the top surface of the fingernails in the appropriate colors. For a woman having naturally long fingernails, merely applying fingernail polish may be sufficient. Indeed, a significant array of products specifically designed to support the French Manicure look is available on the common market. A survey of a neighborhood drugstore revealed no fewer than five manufacturers offering at least seven kits used for preparation of nails in a French Manicure look. A kit typically consists of two colors of fingernail polish: a white color, and a pink or "nude" color. However, since fingernail polish is a mere coating applied to the top of ones fingernail, it is subject to damage from scratching, and smudging. Wear also tends to cause applied polish to appear bad after some time has past. An additional problem occurs in the application process. As the French Manicure look requires a transition between two colors in a precise way, it is difficult to get an even natural look with polish. The brushes used to apply the polish do not support the shape of the color transition. Shaking hands additionally complicate the objective. Additionally, pink polish on the surface of a fingernail does not appear the same as pink flesh visible through a natural nail.
Some techniques have been developed to assist a woman in painting the color transition from pink to white. A mask or guide may be provided to support painting a line transition between colors. FIG. 2A shows the end of a finger 21 to which a paper strip 22 prepared with an adhesive has been attached on the fingernail. A line is formed between the fingernail tip 23 and the fingernail base 24. By painting the nail and the strip as shown, the line defined by the edge of the strip is transferred to the nail color. A conventional nail polish brush 25 is used to apply white polish in a sweeping motion 26 toward the tip edge. After polish has been applied and sets a bit, the mask is removed. Finally, pink or nude polish is applied to the nail base 24 up to the line left by the form.
This technique suffers from the unnatural look as a result of the transition between colors which is formed on the top surface of the nail. The transition in a real nail occurs below the nail surface, and may appear more smooth. A painted line may sometimes leave a surface having ridges which is not smooth and sometimes requires an additional clear top coat. The two colors of polish may form a ridge at the transition which causes an undesirable appearance. Applying polish with a form tends to result in an inferior looking finish.
A very popular technique for dressing fingernails includes the application of acrylic material to the natural nail. A natural fingernail may be enhance with the acrylic material to form a longer more beautiful fingernail. Using acrylics of different colors, skilled manicurists readily prepare acrylic fingernails in a manner which provides the French Manicure look. Acrylic material is applied to a fingernail in liquid form which quickly hardens to build-up a longer and thicker fingernail. A first portion of the acrylic fingernail is formed at the base in pink acrylic and second portion is formed in white translucent acrylic. The two portions are blended together such that the transition forms a curved line as found on natural fingernails. When the acrylic material sets, the color is held giving the desired pattern.
For an application of acrylic material to appear natural, it takes great care and attention to detail. Small mistakes may require considerable time to repair as cured acrylics are quite hard and may need to be replaced entirely. As applying acrylic to ones own fingernails can be quite difficult, the task to make a natural French Manicure look can be particularly challenging. There are additional circumstances which make application of acrylic material less than favorable when trying to create a French Manicure look. Consequently, other techniques for dressing fingernails in a French Manicure have been developed.
Artificial fingernails are typically plastic pieces in the shape of a natural fingernail which can be glued or otherwise attached to a real fingernail. Simulated fingernails are formed in a mold and come in many sizes. They are usually white in color and can be painted to many desired finishes. Alternatively, they may consist of colored plastic and not require application of any fingernail polish. When a user of artificial fingernails desires to wear the French Manicure look, they can choose from painting the fingernails as described above or they may purchase specially prepared fingernails which may have colors applied when they are manufactured. A manufacturer of artificial fingernails may mold the plastic in a white colored material and later apply a pad printing process. The pad printing process is useful for applying a printed pattern to the irregularly shaped surface of an artificial fingernail. This printing process adds cost to the final product and suffers from similar problems relating to wear, fading and scratching.
Notwithstanding, techniques and devices have been discovered which provide very novel uses of artificial fingernails, particularly an arrangement of an artificial fingernail having the French Manicure look where a natural color-through-translucent effect is preserved.
While the systems, techniques and inventions of the prior art are designed to achieve particular goals and objectives, some of those being no less than remarkable, these inventions have limitations, undesirable effects, and defects which prevent their use in new ways now possible. These prior techniques are not used and cannot be used to realize the advantages and objectives of the present invention.